What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On January 29, 2021 at approximately 16:20 EST, a Cessna 172-M, N22101, registered to a flight school and operated by a student pilot for a personal, solo cross-country flight, received substantial damage when it touched down on runway 22 and then went off the left side and into the snow. Upon the front nose being caught or striking a snow bank on the side of the runway, the airplane flipped over from front to back, resting upside down. There was no injury to the pilot, the only occupant of the airplane.
Investigation of the aircraft found substantial damage to the left wing, front of the fuselage encapsulating the engine, damaged propeller, front gear sheared off, and damage to the empennage.
Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The private flight was being conducted under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91 with no visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan filed.
The pilot stated that he was on his last leg of the cross-country and planning a straight-in landing to the runway when he heard other traffic at the airport. He circled and established himself on a five mile final. When he touched down for landing, he was left of the center of the runway. Pilot stated that he drifted toward the edge of the runway and was not able to stop the drift. The left main wheels caught the snow and the rest of the airplane followed until the plane flipped over. The airplane left the runway approximately 1,550 feet from the approach end of runway 22. Pilot denied that there was any indication of a mechanical malfunction.
There are no weather services available at 48D airport. The closest weather was at mount pleasant, MI (kmop), 14.5 miles south of 48D, which had reported winds 260 at 4 kt, 10 miles visibility, sky clear. Temperature minus 3 celsius, dew point minus 12 celsius, and altimeter 30.35.
As the FAA filed it
ON JANUARY 29, 2021 AT APPROXIMATELY 16:20 EST, A CESSNA 172-M, N22101, REGISTERED TO A FLIGHT SCHOOL AND OPERATED BY A STUDENT PILOT FOR A PERSONAL, SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT TOUCHED DOWN ON RUNWAY 22 AND THEN WENT OFF THE LEFT SIDE AND INTO THE SNOW. UPON THE FRONT NOSE BEING CAUGHT OR STRIKING A SNOW BANK ON THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, THE AIRPLANE FLIPPED OVER FROM FRONT TO BACK, RESTING UPSIDE DOWN. THERE WAS NO INJURY TO THE PILOT, THE ONLY OCCUPANT OF THE AIRPLANE.
INVESTIGATION OF THE AIRCRAFT FOUND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING, FRONT OF THE FUSELAGE ENCAPSULATING THE ENGINE, DAMAGED PROPELLER, FRONT GEAR SHEARED OFF, AND DAMAGE TO THE EMPENNAGE.
VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PRIVATE FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 WITH NO VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) FLIGHT PLAN FILED.
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS ON HIS LAST LEG OF THE CROSS-COUNTRY AND PLANNING A STRAIGHT-IN LANDING TO THE RUNWAY WHEN HE HEARD OTHER TRAFFIC AT THE AIRPORT. HE CIRCLED AND ESTABLISHED HIMSELF ON A FIVE MILE FINAL. WHEN HE TOUCHED DOWN FOR LANDING, HE WAS LEFT OF THE CENTER OF THE RUNWAY. PILOT STATED THAT HE DRIFTED TOWARD THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY AND WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP THE DRIFT. THE LEFT MAIN WHEELS CAUGHT THE SNOW AND THE REST OF THE AIRPLANE FOLLOWED UNTIL THE PLANE FLIPPED OVER. THE AIRPLANE LEFT THE RUNWAY APPROXIMATELY 1,550 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 22. PILOT DENIED THAT THERE WAS ANY INDICATION OF A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.
THERE ARE NO WEATHER SERVICES AVAILABLE AT 48D AIRPORT. THE CLOSEST WEATHER WAS AT MOUNT PLEASANT, MI (KMOP), 14.5 MILES SOUTH OF 48D, WHICH HAD REPORTED WINDS 260 AT 4 KT, 10 MILES VISIBILITY, SKY CLEAR. TEMPERATURE MINUS 3 CELSIUS, DEW POINT MINUS 12 CELSIUS, AND ALTIMETER 30.35.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.